


detour (‘cause there’s a black cat down the street)

by SnappleSnapSnake



Series: Black Cat [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chat Noir Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Lady Noir, Episode: s01 Cœur de pierre - Origines | Stoneheart - Origins, F/M, Gen, Kwami Swap, Ladybug Adrien Agreste | Mister Bug, One Shot, Plagg gives good advice, Resentment, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, low-key a marinette character study
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26475073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnappleSnapSnake/pseuds/SnappleSnapSnake
Summary: In the rush of battle, it was hard to think about it. Through the excitement of the magic talking cat and the suit and the cat ears- through the possessed classmate that looked like a pile of angry rocks, it was hard to really think about it.But, as it all winded down, as the news spoke of more possessions and a definitely not captured akuma, Plagg (the magic cat) stuffing cheese bread down his throat on her loft, the realization crashed down on her. The implication of what was said to her right before she transformed.“You’re the new embodiment of destruction and bad luck.”Of destruction and bad luck.Marinette was bad luck.Because, she couldn’t help but think, of course clumsy Marinette- a walking disaster that everyone ignored because who would want to talk to her- was bad luck. It fit her perfectly, didn’t it?She set her face in her hands and tried desperately not to scream.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Plagg
Series: Black Cat [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924711
Kudos: 94





	detour (‘cause there’s a black cat down the street)

**Author's Note:**

> Unofficial relationship tag: Author/Line breaks

Marinette had known she was going to have a bad day the moment she woke up late and rushing to the first day of the new school year. She had known that it was going to be a pure disaster when she’d knocked over an old man, helped him and his cane up, gave him a handful of macarons, and then promptly fell over again as she scrambled forward to school. And she had known that she was the unluckiest person on earth when she found out that she had Chloé in her class  _ again _ .

However, she had not expected for Ivan to turn into a giant, magic, rock monster man. That was not needed, wanted, nor expected in any way, shape, or form. She also had not expected for a magic ring to appear in her room, where a magic cat god (who really wanted cheese bread for some reason) let her transform into a magic cat girl so she could join up with her magic partner to defeat the evil, magic bad guy.

Was she saying magic a lot? She was probably focusing a bit too much on the magic aspect- or, so she was told by her, surprisingly, not-freaking-out partner in red.

The thing was, Marinette had also not expected them to fail  _ so spectacularly _ either. So much for a good first impression, she thought dryly, watching as innocent civilians were turned into frozen stone statues.

“Plagg?” She called, hoping that she could get the magic cat god’s (or kwami, as she was told to refer to him as) attention, “Can we, I don’t know, fix this? Right now?”

“Nope.” He said, rather unhelpfully, chewing on some cheese bread up on her loft, “That’s bug boy’s job. He purifies.”

“And what do I do?”

He shrugged, “Destroy, I guess. Balances the whole thing out- you’re his protector or whatever.” And he turned back to his food.

Marinette looked back at her laptop, where news clips still played, the word ‘ _ destroy _ ’ echoing in her head.

In the rush of battle, it was hard to think about. Easy to forget about it. Through the excitement of the magic talking cat and the suit and the cat ears- through the possessed classmate that looked like a pile of angry rocks, it was hard to really think about it.

But, as it all winded down, as the news spoke of more possessions and a definitely not captured akuma, the realization crashed down on her. The implication of what was said to her right before she transformed.

_ “You’re the new embodiment of destruction and bad luck.” _

Of destruction and bad luck.

Marinette was bad luck.

Because, she couldn’t help but think, of course clumsy Marinette- a walking disaster that everyone ignored because who would want to talk to her- was bad luck. It fit her perfectly, didn’t it? She destroyed everything she touched.

Of course. Of course. Of course.

She set her face in her hands and tried desperately not to scream.

* * *

“Plagg, there must be  _ something  _ I can do about this whole… people turning into stone situation.”

The cat kwami grumbled from his small bundle of blankets in the corner of Marinette’s room that had unofficially become his bed for the night. “It’s late, kid. You can bother me tomorrow…”

“It’s only midnight! Besides, I can’t exactly sleep when I keep thinking about the fact that I’m absolutely useless.”

“Hey! That’s my power you’re insulting! The black cat miraculous isn’t useless- we keep the balance. Good luck wouldn’t even exist with bad luck to counteract it- it’d just be regular old luck, and there’s nothing  _ hopeful  _ or  _ inspiring  _ about that.”

“So what’s my job? To drag down the team so people can enjoy Misterbug’s presence more?”

“You’re not dragging down the team. You’re evening it out.”

“By dragging my half down.”

“Look, kid,” Plagg growled, “You don’t want to know what an overabundance of luck will do to someone. It’s your job to humble.”

“And Misterbug’s job is to be good. Got it.”

“What? Do you want to be on some kind of petstal? You might get vertigo.”

“No. I just…”  _ wanted to prove that I’m good enough _ “I want to be useful. I want to do good.”

“Well, kid, there’s only so much you can do. But, well, being a hero can only mean you’re getting there.” He paused, letting his words sink in, before he said, “Now I’m going to sleep.”

“Thanks, Plagg.” She said.

He didn’t answer.

Maybe it was nice to have someone else to talk to…

And yet, the thought ‘ _ maybe I shouldn’t do this _ ’ lingered in her mind, even as her consciousness slipped into that of sleep.

* * *

The city was scared. Despite the fact that everyone kept moving- going to school, going to work- it was rather easy to notice the unease that seemed to haunt Paris. 

It made sense, considering that there was something dangerous going on- an unknown that normal people didn’t have an explanation for. There was magic dripping from the sky, but only three people knew of it. It was a scary thought to Marinette, that she had knowledge that no one else did and yet wasn’t allowed to do anything with it.

She flinched at a butterfly that passed by as she walked the path to school, wondering if maybe it would turn  _ her  _ to stone. It didn’t- it was just a normal butterfly.

Paris was muttering prayers and curses- every single one of those innocent civilians scared, even if they denied it. Nothing made sense anymore, their heroes were incompetent, and  _ something  _ was happening.

As such, Marinette wasn’t exactly surprised when she saw a small gathering around a distraught Ivan (she couldn’t believe his parents made him go to school), asking insensitive questions with uncertain fear in their tones. She also wasn’t surprised when Chloé sauntered up, Sabrina cowering behind her, purposely insulting him for what seemed to be her own amusement.

“Once a monster, always a monster.” She’d said, a cocky smirk etched on her face.

That was the final straw, and Ivan ran off- threatening tears.

Marinette didn’t intervene, she was too frozen to even breathe.

She wondered if she should go after him. If she should try to comfort him, because  _ Chloé was wrong _ .

There was a bitter part of her that thought of all the times Ivan had been around when Chloé had bullied her, doing nothing but stand around and pretend that nothing bad was happening just a few steps away. Why couldn’t she just do the same? It would be so easy to walk away, maybe even get to class on time.

But, that bitter part withered and died as soon as she realized that doing something like that would make her a bad person. A selfish person that wouldn’t deserve to call herself a hero, even if she was just there to drag Misterbug down. And so, Marinette rushed past the school gates, past an unfamiliar blond boy, all to chase after Ivan.

Because she could understand the pain of humiliation, and no one deserved that.

She refused to be petty.

“Chloe, how could you?!” She’d yelled, not even really thinking, before she ran after the hulking form of her classmate, “Ivan! Wait!”

In her bag, Plagg rolled his eyes at the showing of kindness, knowing that, in the end, trying was futile. Something always went wrong.

* * *

“I don’t think we can really trust them.” She told Alya as she sat at her desk, “I mean, Lady Noire seems pretty useless, and it doesn’t seem like Misterbug even used his powers correctly. I mean, people are still being turned into stone!”

Her new friend hummed, before wrapping her arm around Marinette’s shoulder in a comforting gesture, “Not all heroes are going to beat the bad guy in one battle though.  _ I  _ think that we should believe in them- heroes can make mistakes, but they never abandon their citizens.”

“Yeah. M-maybe…”

Ayla’s words buzzed throughout her body- engraved into her very bones.

_ What does it say about me if I abandon a city to evil just because I don’t like my role? If I don’t like something, then I should make it better, not just give up. _

Lately, Marinette had been a very  complacent person.

She’d make herself useful, she promised herself as she played with the silver ring wrapped innocently around her finger.

(she also tried desperately to ignore the whispers of ‘ _ she never said you weren’t useless _ ’ that seemed to infect her thought)

“So what did you say about a blog?”

“Oh, right! What do you think of the ‘Misterblog’? It has a nice ring to it, right?”

_ What about me? _

Marinette smiled, “Yeah, it sounds really cool. I’m sure the superheroes would appreciate it a lot.”

And  _ she did _ , but she wasn’t exactly sure if Alya wanted Lady Noire’s appreciation as much as she would Misterbug’s.

And that was okay, she reminded herself. She just had to turn the situation around.

Prove herself.

That was all she had to do.

* * *

When Marinette got back from lunch, she hadn’t known what she had expected to see in the classroom- but it definitely wasn’t the new kid,  _ Adrien Agreste _ , sticking gum on her seat in a weirdly meticulous manner. 

_ He’s probably a perfectionist _ , the thought blocked any suspicion that maybe the scene wasn’t what it looked like.

“Hey!” She shouted, causing his head to turn towards her, flinching (because, honestly, marinette was not having a very good day, and this was what broke the camel's back), “What do you think you’re doing?”

Slowly, Adrien turned his head, panic clear and blaring in his eyes as he scrambled to defend himself. Inwardly, she scoffed at the bad attempt.

Of course the new kid was another goon of Chloe’s…

“I don’t care what you say- you’re clearly sticking gum on my seat. It was probably Chloe’s idea, but that doesn’t exclude you of any responsibility.” Marinette huffed, stomping over to her seat, “I don’t want to have to deal with another Chloe, so just  _ leave me alone _ .”

His eyes glimmered with confusion, emerald and bubbling. “I-I swear I was just taking it off the seat…” He trailed off.

“Well, I don’t believe you.”

And that was that, she thought, fury still scratching under her skin. Watching as he slunked off to his own desk. Maybe she’d been a bit too hard on him- maybe, but she wasn’t in the wrong. Her frustration at being completely and utterly useless had been taken out on Adrien, but he was the one who had put the gum on the seat in the first place.

It was him, not her, who was at fault.

(it was her fault, deep down she knew that. it was always her fault, wasn’t it? and everything would continue to alway be her fault- her luck twisting like it was)

Marinette ignored the sad looks Adrien sent her from across his desk.

* * *

Misterbug didn’t hesitate before going after Stoneheart. Marinette did though.

“He doesn’t need me.” She said on the empty street, tucked away in an alleyway, where she was going to transform. She said it and the illusion that she’d built up for herself crumbled.

“Yes, he does.” Plagg said back, frustrated, “He does need you- so get over yourself and transform.”

“ _ Why would he need me? When he has the powers of good luck and purification on his side? _ ” Marinette seethed, envy curling away at her heart.

“Because of balance, duh.” Her kwami rolled his eyes before he continued, “Remember what I told you last night?”

“That I’m only here to make Misterbug look good?” She tried so hard for the bitterness to leak out of her tone, but instead it snapped and bit like another jaw. She needed to stop.

“No.”

She breathed and took it seriously- feeling the envy and the bitterness slink away, “I’m here to humble.”

“Exactly. Now go and humble that good-for-nothing bug-man now, would ya?”

“I…”

( _ heroes can make mistakes, but they never abandon their citizens _ , alya’s voice called)

“Okay. I-I’ll do it.” She’ll try.

And that’s all that really mattered at the moment.

Plagg smirked, “Good to know, kid.”

Marinette breathed in, breathed out- begging for her voice to not shake as she cried, “Plagg, claws out!”

And she left that alleyway to see her (new) best friend in danger and Misterbug losing. Badly.

Lady Noire keeps him humble.

(she saved him. she saved him.  _ she saved him. _ )

They came up with a plan together.

* * *

Then came the end of the battle. After a hearty speech made against Hawkmoth, a rock giant defeated, and an Akuma captured- all the news reporters wanted to know was what was going on.

No one really had an answer- neither Marinette or Misterbug knew anything, that was for sure.

So while Misterbug dealt with Alya (because of course no one wanted to talk to lady noire, marinette thought rather bitterly, despite the fact that she didn’t even want to be interviewed), Marinette walked over to the kneeling Ivan and the shivering Mylène.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

Ivan just shook his head, muttering an “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s… it’s not your fault.”

“I just- I tried…” he sighed, resigned, “I tried to confess to Mylène by singing her a song I wrote- and then…”

She looked at the crumpled paper that he held in his hands. They were probably lyrics. Lyrics that she had convinced him to write.

And suddenly, Marinette was overcome with the sudden urge to cry- because of course it was all her fault.

“Did you get upset?” She asked instead.

“She ran away. I guess the teasing got to me more than I thought. ‘Guess I really am a monster…”

Marinette set her hands on his shoulders, causing him to look into her eyes, “You’re not a monster, Ivan. None of this was your fault- no matter what anyone else, or  _ you  _ tell yourself. Okay?”

Silently, and somewhat hesitantly, he nodded.

“Now go talk to Mylène.”

And Marinette watched as her two classmates talked and later embraced, a smile etched on her face.

She was pretty sure that she did the right thing, and it made her feel so much better than the ruminating resentment that sparked in her heart whenever she even glanced at Misterbug.

(later, right before she went back to class, plagg told her that she should follow her own advice)

In class, Marinette could only hear whispers and murmurs about  _ how cool  _ Misterbug was- how he would save them all from the evil Hawkmoth. She joined in, praising his efforts, because he really was amazing. But the thought ‘ _ what about me _ ’ never left her head, beating in time with her heart.

It hurt, honestly, but she just had to try harder.

* * *

Marinette sighed, accepting the sight of rain, despite her lack of umbrella. It was kind of expected at this point, that her disaster of a day would end with her soaking wet and cold. She suppressed a groan, already imagining how much Plagg was going to complain about getting wet- she just hoped that he would stay dry in her bag.

Lightly, she walked down the stairs that led down the school, shoes already growing damp from the splashing of water. She was already suffering, she thought as she shivered, toes growing numb.

Her sweater felt heavy on her shoulders, already completely and utterly soaked.

She couldn’t even hold back a groan.

“Hey, Marinette.” A soft voice said from behind her.

Marinette turned around, wiping water from her face, only to be met with one Adrien Agreste- holding on tightly to his furled umbrella.

A part of her wanted to ignore him, to turn around and stomp home because she didn’t want to deal with him right now. But that would’ve been petty, and kind of rude, (she wasn’t petty, she’d proven that with ivan- she could extend the same courtesy to adrien) so she let him talk instead.

“I’m, uh, I’m really new at this,” he waved absently with his free hand, “whole school thing. And I- I don’t know what I’m doing. Not really. And I know that you don’t want to hear this apology, you said it earlier, I know. But… I’m sorry about the whole gum incident. I swear, I swear I was only taking it off. I want to make friends here, I’ve never really had any before, and I would hate it if we started on the wrong foot. You don’t have to accept my explanation, not if you don’t want to. But it’s the truth.”

He was a bumbling mess, nothing like a model as he fiddled with his umbrella anxiously. The apology wasn’t rehearsed or planned at all, it was so real and  _ scared _ …

He was telling the truth, Marinette knew that. She knew that, she knew that, she knew that.

She couldn’t say anything, knowing that she was the one in the wrong.

God, she wanted to burst into tears, but she didn’t want to embarrass herself any further in front of him.

And (to make things worse for her) Adrien tossed the unopened umbrella at her, flying over the stairs and into her hands. Only for Marinette to fumble and drop it onto the wet, muddy floor.

Adrien winced, “Oops.” He turned his head to see his car pull up in front of the school, “I gotta go! See you tomorrow. We’re, uh, we’re friends, right?”

It was a wonder that he was the one that was giving the peace offering, considering that Marinette was the one in the wrong. She had been the rash one, the one who had jumped to conclusions and probably ruined Adrien’s first day of school. She was in the wrong. It was her fault (it always was).

And yet he didn’t seem to see it that way.

( _ you should take your own advice _ plagg’s voice told her)

“Yeah.” She nodded, “Friends.” And she wasn’t saying it because she felt bad or wanted to repent- she said it because she genuinely wanted to get to know him.

His eyes shined happily, bright and green, like dew-covered glass- foggy from the rain like an unpolished emerald. Marinette swore her heart started to beat a bit faster as their eyes interlocked. He grinned boyishly, and suddenly the rain didn’t feel as cold anymore.

“Thanks.” He said, like her being his friend was her doing him a favor (and not the other way around), “I’ll see you later.” And he turned on his heel to head in the opposite direction of where she had to walk, towards a dark limo.

Marinette bit her tongue, stopping herself from blurting out something stupid ( _ “i love you” _ ). “I-I’ll see y-you tomorrow… Um- or y’know, uh- bye!”

She tried to catch her breath as he chuckled at her awkward stammering. Her heart did a million leaps as he waved and walked away.

Marinette picked up the umbrella from the floor and watched as Adrien got farther and farther from the school, her day just a little brighter despite the clouds and the storming weather. It was like he had completely pushed away the bad luck- with just a tiny bit of kindness.

A good luck charm, she couldn’t help but think. Adrien Agreste was her good luck charm.

She blushed wildly at the thought.

“Plagg,” she said, trying to calm her beating heart and stop her hands from shaking around the still furled umbrella (she was still in the rain, her toes still numb), “I think I’m in love.”

It was weird using such a strong word for a feeling she had only just discovered- love was a word that meant a lot. But it was the only thing that seemed to fit.

Marinette sighed, only a little dreamily, breathing in the desolate air of her bad luck. She smiled, knowing that, despite everything, this was only going to be one of many good days.

Plagg gagged in her purse.

(little did she know that adrien agreste was already in love with his cat superhero partner- gushing to his own kwami about her endless kindness and the wonderful glimmering of her eyes.

but that was just her luck, wasn’t it?)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope all of the changes make sense. Things like the umbrella scene were affected like very small things, like Marinette’s bad luck (Adrien deciding to throw the umbrella only for her to drop it in the mud). I also kind of want to take Marinette’s crush on Adrien in a different direction. This whole fic was honestly a bit difficult to write, so I hope that everything made sense.
> 
> I hope this wasn’t bad or anything, this whole idea’s been haunting my mind and I don’t really know what I’m doing. I don’t really know if I actually want to write more for this. Probably, since I think that studying how much Marinette really does need to be Ladybug to get some semblance of self-confidence is very interesting. But who knows...
> 
> Anyways, say goodbye to any ladynoir because in this universe that likely won’t ever happen, considering that Marinette is kind of (unwillingly) resentful of Misterbug.
> 
> Also, when Adrien talks to Marinette in the canon-umbrella scene, he’s kind of suave. I don’t actually like that, so instead I made him an awkward, fumbling dork. You’re welcome.


End file.
